2013 ANNUAL REPORT ALTAMAHA SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT THE ALTAMAHA SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT WAS ORGANIZED BY A CHARTER ISSUED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON FEBRUARY 8, 1945 UNDER A PROVISION OF THE GEORGIA SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT LAW OF 1937. THE ALTAMAHA DISTRICT COMPRISES AN AREA OF 1,401,540 ACRES. THE DISTRICT HAS TWO SUPERVISORS FROM EACH COUNTY- ONE WHO IS APPOINTED BY THE STATE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION COMMISSION AND ONE WHO IS ELECTED BY REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE COUNTY. ALL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS VOLUNTARILY GIVE OF THEIR TIME TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION. THE DISTRICT WAS ORGANIZED TO GIVE LOCAL LEADERSHIP IN HELPING THE NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE, A DIVISION OF THE U S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ,TO ESTABLISH PRIORITIES WHERE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS MOST NEEDED FOR COOPERATING LANDOWNERS AND LANDUSERS WITH SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PROBLEMS. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PROVIDES LEADERSHIP IN MAKING THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE OF CONSERVATION FUNDS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO PROGRAMS WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO MEET THE CONSERVATION NEEDS OF OUR LAND AND WATER RESOURCES FOR THE BENEFIT OF BOTH RURAL AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. A major portion of the Board's job involves publicity and promotional programs - programs that help to make the public aware of the continuing need to conserve soil and water and improve water quality. DISTRICT ACTIVITIES 1. In order to make everyone aware of the importance of our soil and water resources, the District sponsored "Soil and Water Stewardship Week" on April 28th through May 4th. 2. Each year outstanding high school students (Grade 9-11) are chosen to attend the Natural Resources Conservation Workshop at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College at no cost to the students. 3. Reviewed Erosion and Sediment Control Plans as required by the Georgia Erosion and Sediment Control Law. 4. Maintained a District Website www.altamahaswcd.org to inform the public of District activities. 5. Presented informational programs to civic groups and others about the importance of soil and water conservation. 6. Conservation materials were distributed to students in the District in order to teach conservation to youth. 7. Supported the Agricultural Water Conservation Incentive Program, the Mobile Irrigation Lab, and EQIP's water conservation priority to improve irrigation efficiency throughout the District. 8. A Memorandum of Understanding between the Altamaha Soil and Water Conservation District and other Ag related agencies was reviewed. 9. Entered Jeff Deen for the Governor's Environmental Stewardship Awards Program. 11. Board is active in supporting the Georgia Comprehensive Water Planning effort and the Altamaha Re- gional Water Council. 12. Supported and provided leadership to the Seven Rivers and Pine Country Resource Conservation and Development Councils in Appling, Bacon, Coffee, Jeff Davis and Telfair Counties. 13. Sponsored the Stewardship Incentive Program which encourages better use of our land and provides funding for forest improvements. 14. Hosted a Pond Management and Micro-Irrigation Workshop to provided useful information on managing surface water resources for production and recreational benefits. NO-TILL DRILLS and CHICKEN LITTER SPREADER AVAILABLE Anyone interested in utilizing the equipment offered may contact Pine Country RC&D at 912-529-6652 or Seven Rivers RC&D at 912-367-7679. You may also visit their websites at www.pinecountryrcd.org or www.sevenriversrcd.org. All equipment is offered in a cooperative effort by the Altamaha Soil and Water Conservation District, Pine Country RC&D and Seven Rivers RC&D. 15. The District held a Local Work Group meeting to determine resource concerns and set priorities for the allocation of EQIP Funds appropriated for the District. 16. The District encouraged supervisors to attend the Group V Meeting in Statesboro, Georgia. 17. The District purchased and disseminated informational materials to cooperators throughout the District. 18. Supported cost share programs, in addition to EQIP and assisted landowners in addressing priority resource concerns. 19. Helped farmers get started in conservation tillage by maintaining and providing conservation tillage equipment. 20. Supported and promoted the Conservation Production Systems Workshop. 21. Paid membership dues in professional organizations and associations that promotes goals that are similar to those of the District, such as the National Association of Conservation Districts and the Georgia Association of Conservation District Supervisors. The Altamaha Board of Supervisors provides leadership in making the most effective use of conservation funds and technical assistance to programs which are designed to meet the conservation needs of our land and water resources for the benefit of both rural and urban people. IN APPRECIATION The Altamaha Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors would like to take this opportunity to thank the landowners and landusers of the District who are doing outstanding work in applying soil and water conservation practices. During the past year, the District has been assisted by many agencies. The Board would like to express their sincere appreciation to the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Farm Service Agency ,Vocational Agriculture, the Georgia Forestry Commission, the Cooperative Extension Service, the County Commissions in the five counties and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The Pond Management and Micro-Irrigation Workshop allowed participants to learn about surface water management for both recreation and production. THE GOAL OF THE ALTAMAHA DISTRICT IS TO USE EACH ACRE OF LAND WITHIN ITS CAPABILITIES AND TO TREAT EACH ACRE ACCORDING TO ITS NEEDS. DISTRICT SUPEtroct is[ervisors ALTAMAHA DISTRICT SUPERVISORS Robert E. Matthews Jeff Deen George Yearty Pat Tanner Orson Adams Garland Thompson Tabatha Wooten B. H. Claxton Garry R. Spires Travis P. Cook Appling Appling Bacon Bacon Coffee Coffee Jeff Davis Jeff Davis Telfair Telfair AGENCIES ASSISTING THE DISTRICT GEORGIA SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION COMMISSION Brent Dykes, Executive Director, Athens Rahn Milligan, Regional Representative, Statesboro Jason Mallard, Resource Specialist, Statesboro Dustin Rushing, Irrigation Technician NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE James Tillman, State Conservationist, Athens Sidney Lanier, Area Conservationist, Waycross Zack Railey, District Conservationist, Douglas; Kevin Hall Soil Conservationist, Douglas; J. Keith Granger, Soil Conservation Technician; Elizabeth Garrett County Employee; Lanita S. Branch, ITS; Linda Campbell, County Employee, Baxley-Alma; Janice Aldrich, Soil Conservation Technician; Stacy Floyd, Soil Conservationist; Gregg Jameson, District Conservationist, Baxley RESOURCE CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Seven Rivers RC&D, Lynn Carter, Administrative Assistant Pine Country RC&D, Kim Thompson, Director Donna Shurling, Administrative Assistant Altamaha SWCD 151 Langston Chapel Road Suite 700 Statesboro, GA 30458